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Cited by 173Breastfeeding Practices and InfluencesInfant Nutrition and HealthInfant Development and Preterm Care

Breast feeding and cognitive development in childhood: a prospective birth cohort study

Oddy, Wendy H., Kendall, Garth E., Blair, Eve, De Klerk, Nicholas H., Stanley, Fiona J., Landau, Louis I., Silburn, S., Zubrick, Stephen·2003·Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology
DOI 10.1046/j.1365-3016.2003.00464.x
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Abstract

Summary: The aim of this study was to examine prospectively the relation between duration of breast feeding and cognitive outcomes. A cohort study of 2860 children enrolled before birth provided data from 2393 term infants of English‐speaking mothers. Of these, complete infant feeding data in the first year of life and verbal cognitive IQ (Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test – PPVT‐R) were available for 1450 children at 6 years, and a performance subtest (Perceptual organisation WISC – Block Design) for 1375 children at 8 years. Full breast feeding was categorised as none,> 0 to < 4 months, 4–6 months and> 6 months. Associations between breast‐feeding duration and PPVT‐R at 6 years and Block Design at 8 years were estimated before and after adjustment for gender, gestational age, maternal age, maternal education, parental smoking and the presence of older siblings. The early cessation of full breast feeding was associated with reduced verbal IQ and the performance subtest. In unadjusted analysis, mean standardised PPVT‐R scores were 6.44 points greater (P < 0.0001) in children fully breast fed for> 6 months compared with those never breast fed. After adjustment, mean PPVT‐R scores were 3.56 points higher in children fully breast fed for> 6 months compared with those children never breast fed (P = 0.003). Similarly, Block Design scores were higher in those fully breast fed for> 6 months compared with those never breast fed in unadjusted (P = 0.001) but not adjusted analyses (P = 0.223). Interactions between maternal education (four levels) and breast feeding demonstrated a positive association of maternal education on verbal IQ (F = 2.64; P = 0.005) in children breast fed for longer but not on performance (F = 0.74; P = 0.67). The early introduction of milk other than breast milk was associated with reduced verbal IQ after adjustment for social and perinatal confounders. Although these effects were interacting with maternal education, they may act through undefined mechanisms in human milk.

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  • Postnatal maternal health risks have potential knock-on effects for child development through altered mother-child interactions and lower rates of breastfeeding.

    “with potential knock-on effects for the child’s development through altered mother-child interactions16 and lower rates of breastfeeding17–19”

    From The relation between cesarean birth and child cognitive development (2017) · cites this paper as [18]

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Authors
Oddy, W. H., Kendall, G. E., Blair, E., De Klerk, N. H., Stanley, F. J., Landau, L. I., Silburn, S., & Zubrick, S.
Affiliations
  • The Kids Research Institute Australia (AU)
  • The University of Western Australia (AU)
Corresponding author
Oddy, Wendy H.
ORCID
Venue
Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2003-01
Volume
17
Issue
1
Pages
81-90
ISSN
  • 0269-5022 (ISSN-L)
  • 1365-3016
DOI
10.1046/j.1365-3016.2003.00464.x
OpenAlex
W1989782604
Cited by
173
References
34
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 12
FWCI
5.38
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor, 30 d)
Locations
  • Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Murdoch University Research Portal (submittedVersion)
  • UWA Profiles and Research Repository (UWA) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Healthway
  • Western Health Foundation
  • National Health and Medical Research Council
  • National Medical Research Council
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Breastfeeding Practices and Influences
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Infant Nutrition and Health
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Infant Development and Preterm Care
Keywords
breastfeeding duration, infant feeding, cognitive development, verbal IQ, performance IQ, maternal education, breast milk, birth cohort, child cognitive outcomes
MeSH terms
Breast Feeding, Child, Child, Preschool, Cognition, Educational Status, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Intelligence Tests, Male, Prospective Studies, Time Factors, Case-Control Studies

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